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Warrant: McDowell Was Pimping, Has Home

Tanya McDowell, 33, wasn't just dealing drugs, Norwalk police say. She also offered undercover officers the services of two women that she pimps out.

Those allegations are contained in the affidavits submitted by Officer Mark Suda, a veteran member of the Special Services Division, in the application for the arrest warrants for McDowell. The warrants were signed by Judge Bruce Hudock, and McDowell was arrested on the warrants Friday.

The affidavits list three drug buys made by undercover officers on the streets of Norwalk. McDowell, who brought national attention to Norwalk when she was arrested on larceny charges because she enrolled her son in city schools using a phony address, allegedly said during one transaction that the officer "could come see her at her house in Bridgeport. It is safer there than down here in Norwalk."

In another transaction, McDowell said she has a black girl and a white girl that she pimps out and said the undercover officer could use her house to see the girls. She said they were not that expensive and described them in detail. The officer bought six small bags of crack from McDowell, the affidavit says, but she had to go meet someone to get the marijuana. She was taken to Merritt Street, where she greeted a man on the sidewalk and took him back to the vehicle. He allegedly handed her two bags of marijuana. She said the man was her 6-year-old son's babysitter.

She doesn't like to "carry too much [expletive] on her," she reportedly told the officer in the other transaction, so "she keeps most of it at her home," where it is cool. She said her aunt owns the house at 311-313 Dover St. in Bridgeport, and McDowell lives in the downstairs apartment. She said that if the officer wanted to party and chill, she could provide girls.

Police say they recorded the conversations and took video of the meetings.

Attorney Darnell Crosland has said McDowell was targeted by police because of the attention drawn to her "theft of education" case. Police Chief Harry Rilling has said his officers were acting on tips received from the community. "His allegation is ridiculous, irresponsible and offensive," Rilling said. "The affidavits speak for themselves, and no one should feel they can deal drugs on the streets of Norwalk openly and with impunity. Tonya Mc Dowell was NOT targeted. She was engaged in activity that was brought to the attention of my investigators and they did their job. I guess Mr. Crosland would prefer we ignore that information, but that would never happen regardless of who the person is. She needs to be held accountable for her actions, whether he likes it or not."

In court Monday, Crosland said McDowell was acting as a go-between in the drug deals and did not make any money from them. He said she had been set up and said a friend she made while living at the Open Door Shelter in 2009 was involved.

Police say children were in the schoolyard at Columbus Magnet School when they arrested McDowell there at about 4 p.m. Friday. The report says that during the intake process, McDowell's girlfriend came in to police headquarters to get the key to her Roodner Court apartment that she had given to McDowell.

McDowell removed her clothing for a search at police headquarters; an officer noticed she seemed to be hiding something in her hand. It was crack and marijuana, they say. McDowell allegedly said she had gotten it from her sneakers.

Bridgeport police have two more warrants outstanding for McDowell's arrest. She was held on $200,000 bond in the drug charges from Friday.

What do you think about the charges against Tonya McDowell?

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